The present invention relates to tool chucks, and more particularly to tool chucks for tools for imparting torque and/or axial impacts to a tool, such as hammer drills.
It is known in the prior art to provide a tool chuck or tool holder which includes an inner sleeve adapted to receive a tool shank and an outer sleeve which is axially slidable relative to the inner sleeve. The known tool holders are provided with a plurality of balls movable radially from a first position in which they at least partially extend into the interior of the inner sleeve so as to engage corresponding longitudinal recesses formed on the tool shank, and a second position radially away from the first position so as to free the interior of the inner sleeve and to thus permit axial movement of the tool shank relative to the inner sleeve. The radial movement of the balls is prevented by the outer sleeve which keeps the balls radially locked in the slots formed in the inner sleeve. In order to insert or withdraw the tool shank from the inner sleeve an operator should axially displace the outer sleeve relative to the inner sleeve so as to permit radial movement of the balls in order to release the tool holder. It is to be understood that such manipulations of the sleeves make the operation of the known tool holders rather complicated and bothersome for an operator.